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Detective Sophie Allen Box Set 2

Page 70

by MICHAEL HAMBLING


  Amy Hill, a nineteen-year-old student, is strangled and her body dumped on open ground in the city. New police partners, D.I. Jim Neal and D.S. Ava Merry are called in to investigate this brutal crime. The last person to see Amy alive was Simon, the son of a family friend, but before he can be properly questioned he disappears.

  Detectives Neal and Merry are led on a trail of shocking family secrets and crimes. Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies? Stopping this tragic cycle of violence will put D.S. Merry’s life at risk in a thrilling and heart-stopping finale.

  If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will be gripped by this exciting new crime fiction writer.

  DEAD SECRET is the first in a new series of detective thrillers featuring D.S. Ava Merry and D.I. Jim Neal. Ava Merry is a young policewoman, recently promoted to detective sergeant. She is a fitness fanatic with a taste for dangerous relationships. Jim Neal is a single dad who juggles his devotion to his job with caring for his son.

  Set in the fictional Northern city of Stromford, this detective mystery will have you gripped from start to shocking conclusion.

  THE LADY VANISHED

  http://www.amazon.com/LADY-VANISHED-gripping-detective-mystery-ebook/dp/B0170HJAMY/

  http://www.amazon.co.uk/LADY-VANISHED-gripping-detective-mystery-ebook/dp/B0170HJAMY/

  How can someone vanish without a trace?

  Carmen Langborne is a woman who no one seems to like very much, and now she's gone missing. But there is no body, no leads and no real suspects. And the police have stopped investigating her disappearance.

  Carmen's stepdaughter Florence hires private detective Tyrone Swift to find the missing woman. If the body is found, Florence will inherit half of a very valuable house. As Swift delves deeper into the family’s affairs, he discovers dark family secrets that threaten the reputations of powerful people. Will Swift get to the truth before those with much to hide stop

  CHARACTER LIST

  Dorset Police Violent Crime Unit (VCU):

  Detective Superintendent Sophie Allen

  Detective Inspector Barry Marsh

  Detective Constable Rae Gregson

  Bournemouth CID:

  Detective Inspector Kevin McGreedie

  Detective Sergeant Lydia Pillay

  Detective Constable Jimmy Melsom

  Dorset Police Uniformed Officers:

  Sergeant Rose Simons

  Constable George Warrander

  Constable Gerry Baldwin (dog handler) and Floyd

  Avon and Somerset CID:

  Detective Inspector Polly Nelson

  Glossary of English terms for US readers

  ACC: assistant chief constable

  Asian: someone who (or whose ancestors) originates from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh

  Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids

  Bladdered: drunk

  Bob: money

  Bod: person

  Boffin: smart person, scientist

  Boot: trunk, as in car trunk

  Bother: as in bother, means in trouble

  Charity Shop: thrift store

  Caravan: camper or small motorhome

  Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket

  Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for

  Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments

  Chinwag: conversation

  Ciggy: cigarette

  Comprehensive School (Comp.): High school

  Copper: police officer (slang)

  Cotton wool: raw cotton

  Childminder: someone who looks after children for money

  CID: Criminal Investigation Department

  Coach: a bus, often used for travel, holidays or trips

  Cos: because

  CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, body which decides whether cases go to criminal court

  Council: local government body responsible for local services

  Councillor: an elected member of a council

  Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block

  Diary: appointment book

  Dinner lady: lunch lady

  Div: idiot (offensive)

  Dodgy: not to be trusted, illegal

  Dosh: money

  Double glazing: insulated windows with two layers of glass

  DC: detective constable

  DI: detective inspector

  DS: detective sergeant

  ED: accident and emergency department of hospital

  Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)

  Estate agent: realtor (US)

  Fag: cigarette

  Fancy: find attractive

  FE: further education college

  Freshers: Students in their first term/year at university

  Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold

  Gas people: company selling consumers gas for heating and hot water

  Gobsmacked: surprised

  Get off: make out

  GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community

  Gran: grandmother

  Guest house: a private house offering rooms to paying guests (in the days before Airbnb!)

  Hard nut: tough guy

  Hatchback: a car with an upwards-opening door across full width of back

  Home: care home for elderly or sick people

  Home Office: UK government department in charge of domestic affairs

  Inne: isn’t he

  Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services

  Jobcentre: unemployment office

  Jumper: sweater

  Kosher: genuine or legal

  Lad: young man

  Lamped: hit

  Lay-by: an area off a road where cars can pull in and stop

  Lift: as in give a lift, drive someone somewhere

  Loo: toilet

  Lounge: living room

  Lorry: a truck

  Mobile phone: cell phone

  Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain

  Newsagents: shop selling newspapers, confectionery, cigarettes etc.

  NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK

  Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)

  Nowt: nothing

  Nutter: insane person

  Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)

  OCD: Obsessive-compulsive disorder

  OS: Ordnance Survey, detailed map

  Overalls: dungarees

  Pants: underwear

  PC: police constable

  PM: post-mortem

  Petrol: gasoline

  Petrol station: gas station

  Piss off: as exclamation, go away (rude). Also can mean annoy.

  Planning Department: the local authority department which issues licences to build and develop property

  Plod: policeman

  Portakabin: a portable building used as temporary office, classroom etc.

  Posh: upper class

  Punter: client of prostitute / can also mean gambler

  Randy: horny

  Ready meal: prepared food which only needs to be reheated

  Rock: a sugary candy often on sale at the seaside

  Semi: semi-detached house, house with another house joined to it on one side only

  Skinful: enough alcohol to make you drunk

  Skip: a large container for building rubbish

  Services: Shops and gas station by highway

  Sixth-former: student in the final two years of high school (16-18 years old)

  Sod: an annoying person

  Sod it: expression meaning you’ve decided not to give a damn

  Solicitor: lawyer

  Squaddies: soldiers

  Tea: dinner (Northern English)

  Till: cash register

  Tipsy: a bit drunk

  Toerag: loser (insulting)

&nb
sp; Ton: a hundred pounds

  Torch: flashlight

  Tosspot: wanker, an idiot

  Tutor: university teacher

  Tower block: tall building containing apartments (usually social housing)

  Two-up two-down: house with two bedrooms upstairs, and two rooms downstairs

  Uni: university/college

  Uniform: a police officer wearing a uniform, usually a police constable

  Van: a vehicle for carrying goods

  Warrant card: police ID in the UK

  Wests: Fred and Rosemary, notorious serial killers

  Young offender: criminal between 14-17 years of age

 

 

 


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